A Long December
by pearls1990
Summary: Funny how one person can stir up so much emotion...
1. December 6th, 2002

Look ma, it's a Nick and Miles fiction, and a kid-fic at that!

_*Quick note about timeline: In my head-cannon Manfred stayed in the states for about six months to settle his affairs before he moved to Germany with Edgeworth. This takes place about six months after von Karma returns from his 'vacation'. Also, in my head-cannon, Phoenix's father is originally from Montana, so they took a couple weeks to visit his family there, which is why Phoenix and Miles have a picture of themselves in Glacier Park. *_

This was written for a kind of Christmas Countdown that's going on at the NickxEdgey group on dA. I have Dec. 6th and Dec 13th. I haven't written these two in forever, so I hope I got their characterization right. It was fun to write this, but I really miss my beta! I can't write a decent ending to a story if it killed me!

**EDIT**:** After losing an hour of sleep last night thinking about how ****crappy this was, I forced myself to sleep. Then after work today I went through, and made some grand improvements. **

Please let me know what you think.**  
><strong>

* * *

><p><strong>December 6th, 2002<strong>

_Tap. Tap. Tap._

Little Miles Edgeworth rarely let his imagination wander very far. So, when he heard the tapping on his window, the hairs on his neck rose. He sat up from his position on his bed and turned to look at his window. The maroon drapes that hung in front of his balcony window were open slightly, but not enough for him to see outside. He cocked his head to listen for the tapping. He sighed and shook his head and turned back to reading 'The Raven'.

_Tap. Tap. Tap._

"Miles!"

Miles practically jumped out of his skin when he heard his name. He swallowed hard, and thought his heart was going to burst out of his chest. He stared hard at the window again, willing the rushing blood in his head to quiet down so he could hear the tapping, or the voice again.

"Miles, are you in there? Open up!"

Mile's breath caught in his throat and he whimpered a little as he threw his little legs over the side of the bed and walked over the window. He held out a shaky hand to part the curtains.

"Miles, please. Open the window! It's chilly out here!"

The voice sparked something in the back of Miles mind; he recognized the muffled voice, but couldn't place it. He threw open the drapes to see his friend, Phoenix Wright, standing on the small balcony outside his window, waving frantically, and smiling brightly. Miles let out a sigh of relief and opened the window.

"Thanks!" Phoenix said as he stepped into the room. "I was beginning to think you weren't in here!"

"You scared me! I was reading 'The Raven' for our poetry class when I heard your tapping!" Miles then narrowed his eyes at Phoenix. "How'd you get up here?"

"Sorry. I didn't think Mr. Von Karma would appreciate me knocking on the front door and disturbing his dinner party. I climbed that tree outside your window!" Phoenix looked around the room. It was the first time he had been in Miles new room after being taken in by Manfred von Karma.

"What's with all the boxes?"

"No, you're right, Mr. Von Karma wouldn't appreciate that at all." Miles said, prolonging his answer. "Mr. Von Karma is moving us to Germany. Why are you here, by the way?"

"What! Germany? When?"

"Um...any day now," Miles mumbled as looked down at his shoes. "As soon as the sale goes through on this house, is what I heard, anyway."

"Miles," Phoenix said. "Why didn't you tell me?"

"I-...Cuz, I thought you would be angry and I didn't want to leave on a fight..."

"I would have been angrier when you hadn't told me!" Phoenix looked around again. "I'm kind of upset now."

"So, why did you come then?"

"Oh, heh," Phoenix rubbed the back of his head nervously. "Christmas is coming soon and I wanted to give you this." He held out a small box that was wrapped in silver paper with a bright red bow. "My family is leaving early for Christmas vacation and I didn't want to miss you..."

Miles eyes went wide. He had never received presents from friends before. Only his family.

"I-I don't know what to say, Phoenix."

"Well, you can say thank you for starters!" Phoenix chuckled and grabbed Miles wrist when he didn't make a move, and placed his hand on the present. Phoenix let his own hand linger on the others for a moment. "Then you take the present."

Miles breath caught in his throat when Phoenix grabbed his hand. Phoenix didn't know the definition of personal space, literally and figuratively, and Miles still wasn't quite used to how his body reacted everytime Phoenix touched him.

"Th-Thank you."

Phoenix's smile seemed to light up the dim room as he grabbed Miles other hand and placed it on the box. Satisfied that the other had a good grip, he let go of Miles hands. Miles was staring at the silver box in awe as he ran his hand over the texture of the wrapping paper. The red ribbon was a simple cloth ribbon with silver threads running through the weave.

Phoenix's laugh broke through the quiet. "Miles, you act like you've never gotten a present before. Go on, open it. I think you'll like it."

Miles smiled wider and meticulously unwrapped it, being careful not to rip the silver paper. Phoenix's leg started to twitch. He just wanted to reach out and rip the box apart, but he knew Miles wanted to take his time. The gray haired boy peeled the tape off the box and opened the lid, then peeked inside. Crumpled pieces of newspaper were stuffed in the box around what ever was inside. Miles took one of the pages out and read the print.

"Where is Missoula?"

"Miles!" Phoenix grabbed the newspaper out of his hand and gave him a manic smile.

Miles smirked and wrapped his tiny hand around what was in the box and pulled out a snow globe. He held it up at eye-level and saw himself and Phoenix staring out at him from inside the globe. A picture of them standing in front of Granite Park Chalet was settled neatly in the base of the globe. The wood was polished dark and etched on a small silver plaque were the words: "Miles and Phoenix Glacier Park Summer 2001".

Miles shook the globe. "Phoenix I-"

"Do you like it?" Phoenix moved to stand shoulder to shoulder with Miles so he could point at the globe. "Do you remember this, last summer? Taking that hike?"

Miles could feel a warmth radiating from Phoenix and he leaned a little into him. "Yes, I do." Was all he could manage to squeak out.

"And if you look underneath," Phoenix turned the globe so it's bottom was facing them. "It plays music!" He twisted the key and music box strains of "Thank You" by Dido could be heard.

"Phoenix," Miles said, breathlessly. "It's perfect!"

"Good, I'm glad you think so!" Phoenix rested his head on Miles shoulder. They stayed like that, watching the snow fall as the music wound down.

"I didn't get you anything," Miles said suddenly and Phoenix raised his head.

"Oh that's okay," Phoenix smiled again. "There's still nineteen days until Christmas. Plus, I-" A lump suddenly formed in Phoenix's throat. "I have you as a best friend. That's enough for me."

Miles' bottom lip started trembling when he saw Phoenix's eyes shining with tears. How was he supposed to tell Phoenix that he might not be here for Christmas? That they might not see each other when Phoenix came back from his vacation?

Phoenix suddenly found himself engulfed in a hug.

"Phoenix, there's something...there's something that I need to tell you." Miles sniffed into Phoenix's ear and Phoenix squeezed him. They parted, but Phoenix kept his hands on the others shoulders.

Miles wiped his eyes as Phoenix looked at him expectantly.

"I-I..." Looking into Phoenix's bright blue eyes, Miles couldn't bring himself to tell the truth. "I'm glad that I stood up for you that day in class. I'm glad that you are my best friend, Phoenix Wright."

"Thank you for being my friend, Miles." Phoenix looked away, too overwhelmed. "I hope we are friends until the day we die."

An epiphany hit Miles as he gasped. He pushed away from Phoenix, who had a confused look on his face.

"Let's make a pact." Miles gray eyes were dancing with excitement as he set the snow globe on his nightstand and tore a blank piece of paper from his journal that was sitting on the corner. He found his favorite pen and started writing on the paper, then in his journal. Phoenix took a step towards the other boy to peer over his shoulder, but Miles straightened up suddenly and started digging in his pocket. He finally brought out a pocket knife. Phoenix's eyes widened.

"Okay, you print your name here, and sign here." Miles pointed to the two places as he handed his journal and pen to Phoenix. The other resisted the urge to flip through the journal as he read through what Miles had written.

"I, Phoenix Wright," He paused as he printed his name in the blank that Miles had left. "Solemnly swear that I will stay best friends with one Miles Edgeworth, through thick and thin, until the day I die." Phoenix raised his eyebrow at the other. He often wondered at Miles' use of the English language and how he learned such big words. He signed his name at the bottom of the page.

"Good. Now..." Miles paused and took the knife in one hand, and cut across his thumb as he hissed, then bit his lip as a tear formed at the corner of his eye.

"Miles! Oh my god, what-"

"Here," Miles grabbed Phoenix's hand before he could back away and cut his thumb as Phoenix cried out in protest. "A pact made in blood."

The pain resonated throughout Phoenix's body and paralyzed him for the few seconds that Miles needed to grasp his hand and pressed Phoenix's thumb onto the paper that he signed. Miles was still biting his lip to fight the pain as did the same with his own thumb on the loose sheet of paper. He sucked on his thumb to help stop the bleeding and instructed Phoenix to the same.

"You've been reading too much Poe." Phoenix mumbled around his thumb as he watched Miles searching for something in one of the many boxes sitting around the room. "Why all the formal stuff anyway?"

Miles gave up rummaging through the box and un-tucked his maroon and gray pin-striped dress shirt to get to his white undershirt and grabbed the letter opener to cut a couple of small strips. Phoenix watched in fascination as Miles wrapped the soft white cloth around his own thumb, then proceeded to do the same to his. Phoenix eyes wandered over Miles' unusual gray hair, the way it hung in his face as he bit his lip in concentration.

"There," Miles said at last. "All done."

They stood looking at each other, Phoenix's trying to fight the tears that were threatening to come and Miles sucking on his own bottom lip where he had bit down, hard. A weird taste of salt and metal invaded his mouth and he winced. The sounds of the dinner party below and Miles' wall clock echoed through the otherwise silent room.

"Sorry, I kinda got carried away," Miles looked away and grabbed his left arm with his right hand. "I'm afraid we might not see each other again."

Phoenix sniffed and swallowed the lump in his throat.

"I might be gone when you come back from vacation and I was hoping this pact would help you forgive me if I didn't get a chance to say goodbye." Mile's gray eyes were full of sadness.

Phoenix couldn't hold back any more and burst into tears as he threw his arms around Miles.

"I-I don't want you to go," His words were barely audible as he sobbed into Miles' shoulder.

Miles wrapped his arms around Phoenix and buried his face into the crook of Phoenix's neck.

"I don't want to go either, but I don't have a choice."

"Will you write me?"

"What?"

Phoenix pulled back and sniffed.

"If I wrote you letters, would you write back?"

Miles couldn't believe he hadn't thought of that himself. A smile lit up his whole face.

"Of course I'll write! That's brilliant, Phoenix!" Miles frowned again and looked away. "I don't know where we are moving."

"Oh, I'll give you my address and you can write me when you get to where you are." Phoenix said as he turned to pick up Miles journal from it's spot on the nightstand. He flipped through quickly as Miles started to protest.

"Hold on," Phoenix interrupted. "I'm just trying to find where you wrote your half of the bargain. I'll put my address on the opposite page, then you won't forget!"

A large smile lit up Phoenix's face and Miles couldn't help himself and smiled too.

"Okay, I should probably go before my parents discover I'm not in my room."

Miles gasped as Phoenix opened the window and halfway out he turned and said, "Don't forget okay?"

"I promise."

Phoenix waved and disappeared into the night.


	2. December 13th, 2017

Just the second installment in my December series.

I was going to place this ten years from the previous, but the time lines wouldn't fit with what I wanted to write.

Let me know what you think!

* * *

><p><strong>December 13, 2017<strong>

Miles watched as the sky gradually turned a beautiful shade of violet. The low hanging clouds looked like bizarre clumps of orange and purple cotton candy as the sun set over the German horizon. Miles sipped his tea and glanced down at the busy street below him. The hustle and bustle of shoppers getting that perfect present for that perfect person mixed with the nine-to-fivers trying to get home made the streets a chaotic matrix of red taillights and muddy snow. Even though he was warm and cozy, he pulled his sweater closer to himself, thinking about the freezing temperatures outside. He took another sip of his tea and watched the last of the orange and pinks disappear from the sky.

Miles sighed and turned away from the window and a small smile slipped over his lips as he spied Pess curled up cozy in her maroon dog bed. He then turned to the small breakfast bar that divided the kitchen and the living room in the moderate suite he rented from a fellow professor at the University he was currently studying and interning. Frowning, Miles walked over the breakfast bar and set his teacup down next to the box that had arrived yesterday from the states. The return address was Los Angeles and it made him long for the mild winters he spent most of his youth enjoying. The letter that had accompanied the box lay open next to the unmarked brown box and he unwillingly picked it up and read it again.

Why did he torture himself like this?

_Miles, I found these items when I was going through Father's estate. They were the last evidence I found of you ever living in this house. The other items I found, are boxed and labeled and have been placed in a shared storage space. I think they are items you can go through at a future time. _

_ The reason I sent you these articles, little brother, is that they are related to Phoenix Wright, the very person that gave my father his one official loss. I am bothered that they were still in the basement, and haven't been discarded. I have sent them to you as a lesson, Miles Edgeworth. Phoenix Wright _will _experience his first loss at my hands. He will pay for what he did to my father. I hope these items drudge up horrible memories from your childhood. _

_ Yours, Franziska von Karma_

Her signature was a flourish at the bottom and perfectly aligned with the rest of the typed text of the letter.

He set the letter down and squeezed his eyes shut. He had come to Germany to find himself, and find the true meaning of being a prosecutor. He certainly did NOT want to be thinking about Phoenix Wright, especially during this time of year. But warm memories of their childhood came flooding back to him. He prided himself on controlling his emotions, however, tears came rushing to the surface and he suddenly became overwhelmed with an emotion he hadn't experienced since … since he had stopped getting letters from one Phoenix Wright, who had promised to write, even in the toughest of times.

Wiping his eyes and composing himself, he found scissors to cut the tape and opened the box. The faint scent of damp basement hit his nose as he took out the packing materials. He cocked his head as he saw a book at the bottom of the box and a pocket knife sitting on top. Something round was wrapped in packing bubbles and was nestled neatly on top of everything. Miles cocked his head at it as he brought it out. His mind could not wrap around what it could be. He carefully took off the tape and layers of bubble wrap and almost dropped it when he revealed a snow globe underneath everything. Pess raised her head when she heard her master cry out.

Miles shook the snow globe and set it on the bar. He watched as the snow settled around the picture of him and Phoenix smiling brightly in front of the Chalet. He sniffed and smiled at his younger self as he ran his hand over the smooth surface of the glass dome. His fingers found their way down to the small silver plaque and he could feel every curve and straight line of the etching of their names.

His mind suddenly wandered to the night that Phoenix gave him the snow globe, and he glanced at his thumb. There was a bit of scar tissue that never went away, and he had no feeling in that tissue. He had gotten used to it, and wore it proudly.

Pess's curiosity had gotten the best of her as Miles could hear her nails clicking on the hard wood floors as she padded her way over to his side. She sat on her haunches and simply looked at him, head slightly cocked. He smiled at her and scratched her behind the ears. He turned his attention back to the box, and started to gingerly pull out the book from the bottom, when he realized there were two books; the one on top was a collection of poems by Edgar Allen Poe, and the other was his journal. It was one of many Miles kept in his lifetime, and kept for a reason which he turned right to when he opened it. The pages were slightly stuck, but he managed to pull them apart without any damage. He winced at his youthful handwriting and ran a finger over Phoenix's signature.

Miles sighed loudly and rest his forehead on the journal. He never thought he'd admit it, but he missed Phoenix, even with the 'unnecessary feelings' that he gave him. Even when Phoenix never wrote back so long ago...

His chest tightened with a sadness that overwhelmed him and he suddenly felt the need to hear Phoenix's voice. He lifted his head and Pess snorted at him, as if she knew the thought was completely ridiculous. Miles glanced at her. He knew she was very in tune with him and found that there were more moments than not that she seemed to put her two cents in when he hadn't said a word.

Driven by some powerful emotion that his body couldn't control, he reached for his phone across the bar. Pess barked and Miles shushed her as he scrolled through his address book, then clicked on Phoenix's name. He heard the click of the connection.

It was at that moment, that Miles realized there was no way he would be able to say anything. For all phoenix knew, Miles Edgeworth was dead.

For whatever reason, he couldn't move.

Miles heart sped up with every ring.

"Hello?" Was the groggy response he received. Miles held his breath. Phoenix repeated himself, then said something incoherent, and the line went mute.

Time seemed to slow down, and Miles wasn't sure how much had passed from when he picked up the phone until he sat it back down.

Groaning, he lay his head in his arms. Pess lay her head in his lap. Miles decided at that moment, he was going to have to fly back to the states and face Phoenix Wright. This time he was armed with a renewed sense of himself and his profession.

**XXX**

_~*Ah, distinctly I remember it was in the bleak December,_  
><em> And each separate dying ember wrought its ghost upon the floor.*~<em>

'The Raven'

Edgar Allan Poe


End file.
